Local News

Free travel in December

V/Line passengers will be provided with free travel while coaches replace trains on the Gippsland line in December.

A mix of express and semi-express coaches will replace all Bairnsdale and Traralgon trains from December 1 to 23.

During this period V/Line will complete $9 million package worth of essential maintenance, while station, signalling and power upgrades will continue in the metropolitan area between Pakenham and Caulfield.

V/Line chief executive, James Pinder, said passenger disruption would be minimised by aligning the Gippsland line works with the metropolitan upgrades.

“The upcoming construction blitz on the metropolitan network is an opportunity for us to also complete important track and signal remediation work that we can’t do while trains are running,” he said.

“Our priority in December will be to remove track mud holes between Sale and Bairnsdale to ensure a smoother and more reliable journey on our services.

“We would like to thank Gippsland line passengers in advance for their patience and understanding while we complete this really important package of works.”

Benefits of the work will include a more reliable network for Gippsland line passengers and reducing the need for more disruptions in the future.

In addition to track and signal upgrades, there will be works in the Traralgon station yards and at Warragul Station.

Free travel for Gippsland, Pakenham and Cranbourne will be provided to passengers impacted by the planned disruptions between December 1 to 23.

Bairnsdale line passengers will also receive free travel on replacement coaches and are asked to book a seat for these services in advance, through the normal reservations process.

Traffic conditions on the Monash Freeway are highly variable and passengers are asked to allow an extra 60 minutes’ travel time and up to 90 minutes during peak periods.